1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to puppets or marionettes and, more particularly, to a robotic marionette system that utilizes magnetic forces to support puppets/marionettes in a manner that allows one or more marionettes to be used in a single show or display with full translational movement in the horizontal direction and with accurate positional control of the marionettes (e.g., accurate horizontal (X-Y) positioning as well as vertical (Z) positioning) without tangling of marionette strings or unwanted collisions.
2. Relevant Background
For many years, theme parks and other entertainment venues have provided shows and attractions that operate without human intervention or are automated portions of a show or ride. Animatronic or robotic figures may take many forms, such as a human (e.g., a pirate) or animal, and these robotic figures may be capable of various levels of life-like movement. The goal behind using animatronics is to provide a high quality and entertaining effect or show without the need for human interaction such that an effect or show can be provided in a predictable and repeatable manner. For example, animatronic figures may perform certain actions each time a ride vehicle passed a certain point along a track in an amusement park ride.
While serving many entertainments needs, the use of animatronic figures also has a number of limitations and drawbacks. Animatronic figures are generally quite heavy and require a relatively large support structure or performance platform. Animatronic figures are also relatively expensive to design, fabricate, and maintain. Animatronic figures are often hydraulically operated or actuated, and the hoses, compressors, and other actuation equipment make the figures relatively immobile. The figures typically are mounted in one position. There is a growing demand in theme parks and other entertainment venues for animatronic-like entertainment in which the characters or figures are able to more freely move around on a stage instead of being tied down to one position. In some cases, it may even be desirable for a character to be able to fly such as a fairy, a ghost, or a winged animal that may be able to walk or run and then accelerate and ascend into the air. Additionally, there is an ongoing need for these characters to be able to move freely around the stage, sometimes in close proximity to each other and/or human actors, without interference between them.
Marionettes address some of the problems with animatronic figures and meet a number of the goals for use of characters and animated figures in a ride or show. Marionettes or puppets are typically lightweight and can move around on a stage with a simulated walk or dance. Marionettes, of course, can fly when a human puppeteer takes up the weight of the puppet using its attached strings. However, use of marionettes also presents challenges and limitations. In a puppet show, it is often difficult to provide movement over a large area, e.g., marionettes often are only moved in a relatively small circular area corresponding to the puppeteer's reach. When a wider range of translational movement is provided or allowed, there are often challenges with two or more marionettes being in proximity as the strings can easily become tangled when the marionettes have to circle about each other or collide. Marionette movements are also often less realistic than animatronic figures as they can only roughly simulate walking and move too slowly in some cases, e.g., downward movements of any part of their bodies is generally limited by gravitational forces as the puppeteer cannot push downward on the attached strings.
It has also been expensive and difficult to provide a marionette-based show or display that can be provided on demand and in a predictable and repeatable manner. Human operators or puppeteers are most typically used to create a puppet show or entertainment with talented and choreographed movement of the marionettes. Use of human operators may make marionette-based shows or effects expensive, leads to each show being unique or different, which may be undesirable, and makes it problematic to present the show on an ongoing or continuous basis (e.g., whenever a ride is running it may be desirable to present flying, dancing, and interacting characters).
Some efforts have been made to suspend and animate marionettes through the use of an X-Y gantry crane and through the use of robot arms. When one puppet or marionette is used, these devices have been relatively successful at suspending the character or figure and moving it in the X-Y plane (or providing good translational movement). However, these systems or devices do not accommodate multiple interacting marionettes with each marionette having full freedom of movement in the X-Y plane. In use of such devices, the supporting arms cannot cross each other (e.g., the robot arms cannot collide or go above or under each other when a pair of characters dance around the floor or circumnavigate each other) as this results in the tangling of strings or interference between the crane/robot arms. Additionally, these devices are often expensive to implement and maintain and may provide relatively slow response times or movements.
Hence, there remains a need for improved methods for providing characters or figures that address some of the issues with robotic and animatronic figures. Preferably, the methods, and systems/devices implementing such methods, will provide figures that can move freely on a stage or in a show or effect space in all three directions (e.g., translational movement in a horizontal plane as well as vertical movement) and in relation to other figures/characters without interference (e.g., without tangling of marionette strings and the like).